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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901201">Different Kinds of Kisses</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis'>Jathis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sofia the First (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Forgiveness, Gen, Kissing, Punishment, Whipping</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:42:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,240</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901201</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jathis/pseuds/Jathis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>King Roland pays Cedric a visit that night to make a point.</p><p>Directly after Day of the Sorcerers</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Different Kinds of Kisses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been the middle of the night when there was a soft knocking on the door to his workshop. Wormwood woke with a snort, huffing in annoyance. “Who could that be?” the raven hissed, feathers ruffling up in his anger. </p><p>“Easy, Wormy. Easy…” Cedric was still wide awake, unable to sleep thanks to the day’s events and his nearly successful attempt on the crown. He still could not believe that Sofia had spoken up for him, let alone that Roland had listened to her and both spared his life and allowed him to stay in Enchancia.</p><p>He shuddered at the thought of what could have happened. As an exiled sorcerer he didn’t know where he would be able to go. All the kingdoms would know what he had tried to do in Enchancia and none would welcome him. </p><p>The only way a magic user was executed was with fire. Hanging and even beheading was not seen as effective as fire. His mother had told him stories about criminal magic users allowing themselves to be caught and how much they had screamed as the fire blackened and burned away their flesh.</p><p>He opened the door and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Roland standing there, three guards behind him. His heart started to race and he fought down the urge to run like a rabbit from a fox. “Your Majesty..?”</p><p>Roland’s voice was oddly calm as he commanded, “seize him.” The three guards he had brought moved swiftly, pushing the sorcerer back into his workshop before grabbing him by his arms. They forced him into a bowing position with his arms behind his back in front of Roland.</p><p>“Sire?!” Cedric asked, panic making his throat tighten. He struggled to look up at Roland, forcing himself to focus on breathing.</p><p>The raven Wormwood immediately took off, slipping through the open window. He was not foolish enough to stick around.</p><p>“You’re not going to die,” Roland promised. He stepped further into the room and shut the door behind himself. He looked down at the other, placing his hands idly behind his back. “You attacked my family, Cedric.”</p><p>“Your Highness, I…”</p><p>“I know you’re sorry,” Roland said, holding up a hand to cut him off. “I also intend on keeping my promise to Sofia and allow you to stay in the castle. That does not negate the fact that you <em> attacked </em>my family, however.” </p><p>His knees hit the ground hard as he was pulled down. Cedric winced, whimpering as his robes were taken from him before his arms were spread out. He let out a cry of surprise when a knife was used to roughly cut away his vest and shirt, leaving his back exposed and the material in tatters.</p><p>“Do you know what happens to those who are frozen with a Medusa Stone?” Roland asked, pulling up one of Cedric’s chairs and sitting down. He looked down at the teary eyed sorcerer, shaking his head. “Of course you don’t. I do,” he said. “I could still see and hear everything, Cedric. All I could do was stand there as you attacked my children and wife. Can you imagine what that’s like? Seeing the ones you love hurt and being unable to do <em> anything </em> to help them? Could you even imagine such a thing, Cedric?”</p><p>His cheek slammed into the floor as he was pushed down further. He tried briefly to free his arms but he was held too tightly and by men far stronger than he was. From the corner of his eye he could see the third guard unfurling something. He closed his eyes as he felt himself about to cry, unable to stop his body from trembling. “Sire, I’m sorry! Please!”</p><p>The first blow went from his left shoulder down to the middle of his back. There was a brief moment of almost nothing and then it started to burn. Cedric let out a surprised scream, trying and failing to brace himself for the next blow.</p><p>Roland sat in Cedric’s chair and watched as the royal sorcerer was whipped. He had made sure that the whip used would not cause any real damage to him, leaving behind angry red welts instead of tearing skin from his back. He still felt some pity for the man.</p><p>Roland had felt a kind of dread that he had never felt before. The idea of his family being taken from him and knowing he could do nothing as it happened terrified him. He felt weak and useless. It reminded him of when he could do nothing for his first wife. Cedric had made him feel that and Grimtrix had too. Such a thing was unforgivable.</p><p>Cedric’s cries grew hoarse over time. He lost any energy he had left, reduced to a flinch and a tearful whimper after each blow. His back felt like it was on fire and every blow reignited it.</p><p>“Enough,” Roland commanded when the first welt opened and started to bleed. Cedric’s pale back was now covered in furiously red welts, some of them purpling into bruises as time passed. “Leave us now.” </p><p>The royal sorcerer wept softly as he was finally let go and left lying on the floor. He had never been punished in such a way before. Slowly he forced himself to pull his arms in, shuddering as his back loudly protested this action. He lifted up his head and saw Roland still sitting there, watching him.</p><p>“Whatever pain you are feeling? I felt ten times that amount today when you attacked my children and wife. I want you to remember that, Cedric.” Roland watched as Cedric slowly pushed himself up onto his knees. His limbs were trembling but the sorcerer crawled to him on his hands and knees, keeping his head bowed nearly all the way to the ground.</p><p>“Roland...my King…” Cedric whispered. He kissed the toe of Roland’s boot before resting his forehead on it, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he croaked.</p><p>“I forgive you.”</p><p>He slowly pushed himself up, fighting the throbbing pain in his back. Roland held out his hand and Cedric took it with his own trembling hands. He kissed Roland’s ring as fresh tears fell down his cheeks, resting his brow on Roland’s hand. “You are my King. I serve you. I belong to you,” he whispered. “Thank you for sparing my life. I don’t deserve such mercy.”</p><p>“Cedric…” Roland sighed before taking his hand back. He stood up, gently pulling Cedric onto his feet. “Lean on me,” he instructed. He guided Cedric to his bedroom, moving as slowly as the other needed him to. “On your stomach...there.” He helped Cedric to lie on top of his bed and ran a comforting hand through his hair. “I will send a healer up to tend to your back,” he promised.</p><p>Cedric could only nod his head, closing his eyes as he fought back more tears.</p><p>The king lowered his head and kissed the sorcerer’s temple. “Never again, Cedric. Never again.”</p><p>Whether he was talking about the whipping or the attempt to usurp the throne, Cedric did not know. He drifted off to sleep in his exhaustion, too weak to keep himself awake any longer.</p><p>Roland kept his promise and in the morning Cedric would wake to find his back covered in a bandage smeared with a strong poultice.</p><p>Wormwood pointedly avoided looking at the sorcerer for several days afterwards.</p>
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